In many applications a signal is converted from the analog domain to the digital domain. This allows processing of the signal in digital form in ways that are difficult or impossible to perform in the analog domain. The conversion is done by an analog to digital converter (ADC).
One technique of performing the conversion is sigma-delta modulation. This technique is often employed in applications requiring high resolution. An advantage of sigma-delta conversion is that the analog signal may be converted using only a 1-bit ADC, and analog processing circuits having a precision that may be much less than the resolution of the overall ADC.